Shaft coupling



E. D. TUBES.

SHAFLCOUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21, 1920. 1,404581 l l i Patented Jan. 31, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

figli E, D. TUBES'. SHAFT couPuNG.

Patented Jan. 31

1922. SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wsrf/@f STATES rar SHAFT coUrLINc.

incisivi.

Specication of Letters atent.

Patented Jan. 31, 1922.

Application led October 21, 1920. Serial No. 418,344.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EARL D. Tinnss, a

citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, in the county and yState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft Couplings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification. Y

This invention relates to shaft couplings, and has .for its object to provideian improved coupling for the abutting ends of shafts, said coupling being rof simple construction, easy to apply and eflicient forfthe purpose for which it is intended.

A further object is to provide a coupling which is compact and gene-rally cylindrical in form so that it simply constitutes a slight enlargement of the shafts at the point of connection thereof without presenting any protruding angles which might be dangerous. Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

The invention will be scribed i-n'connection with the accompanying drawings, which .constitute part of this specification, and. thenV more specifically dey fined in the claims at the end of the description. i

ln the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to `designate corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure` l is an elevation of a coupling made substantially in accordance with this invention andappliedto .the abuttingends `of :two shafts.`

' Figure Qisa section `on the line H-.II of Figure 1. f

Figure 3 is a similar section showing the positions of thc partsjof the couplingwhcn first placed on the shafts and beforel it is tightened up thereon, and

Figures 4, 5, 6 und 7 are transverse sections taliieii on the lines lvl-IV, V-,-V, ill-Vl and VIL-VH, respectively, ,of Figure' 1.

ln the drawings thetwo shafts are indicated at 1 and 2 with :their ,ends shown abuti ting iu Figures 2 and :3. The coupling `comprises two similarly shaped component 4members 3 and 4 each generally semi-cylindrical in form to embrace the abutting 'end portions of the shafts and together entirely surround Athe same. The end portions 5 and 6 of each of the members and .4 are screw threaded at 7 and 8 to receive",correspondingly threaded roi-ind nutsl) and 10, each first hereinafter de- K therefore, `be withdrawn from gripping enrhaving sockets 11 in its periphery to receive in applying .thecoupling to lock the shafts together. The middle portion of each of the ymembers 3 and 4 is radially enlarged at 12 and '13, respectively,4 to substantially ,the size of the nuts 9 and l0., so that the pe ripheries of said middle portions of the coupling members 3 and 4 and of the nuts will be flush with each other `and COIlstitute `a smooth and continuous surface. Between a tool or wrench for turning them up tight the nuts 9 yand 1() and the enlarged middle portions 12 and 13 of the coupling members there are placed washers 14 and 15 4each of which is preferably cut away at 16 on the side facing the middle portions 12 and 13 of the coupling members inorder to neduce weight. The end portions of said pQrtions 12 and 13 are alsolpreferably cut away ,at 17 for the same purpose.

Each member 3 and `4 has a longitudinal groove extending through the same 'as shown at 18 and 19, each of said grooves being tapered from the `center tothe ends vof said members and arranged at' diametricallylop@ posite points in said members with respect to the shafts. In said grooves are fitted Qcorrespondingly shaped yslidable gripping or clamping members 2() and 21 in one member of the coupling' and 22 and 23 in the other member thereof. Said gripping members conform to the grooves lin which they are placed and to the curvature of the shafts, and have longitudinally extending serrations of teeth 24 on their inner faces 'to bitey into the end portions of the shafts when clamped thereon.

inasmuch as the gripping members and the grooves in which they are fitted are tapered, it will be seen that longitudinal move.- mcnt of said gripping members in their grooves will result iii radial movement there of. T he gripping members or wedges willn gagement with theshafts'when' they are moved. longitudinally towardsythce" center vof the coupling because the grooves are larger in the center of the vcoupling than at the ends thereof, and for the same reason outward longitudinal movement Aof the wedges/will cause them to move radially in? ward for gripping the shafts and locking them to the coupling. This longitudinal `movement of the 4wedges kor gripping members is effected by levers one pair of which kis pivoted in a sul-@able recess .in each mem` iio ber of the coupling by means of pivot pins 25 best shown in Figure l and which may be secured in place in any suitable manner, as by being threaded at 26 to engage correspondingly threaded passages in the en-V largeifl middle portions l2 and 13 of the coupling members, said pivot pins passing through the levers intermediate of their en ds.l baid levers are arranged in oppositely facing pairs 2T and 28 in the recess 29 ofthe upper coupling member, and 3() and 8l in the recess 32 in the lower coupling member. It will be ynoted that said recesses extend radially through `the middle portions of the coupling members from theirI outer to their inner surfaces. The inner ends of the levers are pivoted to the inner ends of the wedges by pivot pins 32a, while the outer ends of said levers have longitudinally ez:- tending lugs 33 fitted in notches 34- in the periphery of the middle portions of the coupling` members and adapted to project beyond the end faces of said portions when the wedges are in non-gripping position, as shown in Figure 3.

After the coupling members have been applied to the two shafts to be connected as c shown in Figure 3, the nuts 9 and l() are turned up so as to press the washers lll and l5 against the projecting lugs 33 rof the levers which control the wedges. lVhen the washersV have in this way been moved up to engagement with the end faces' of the en- `Ylarged middle portions of the coupling members and the lugs on the levers have been driven in flush with said end faces, the wedges or gripping members 20, 2l, 22 and v23 will have been moved outward longitudinally the necessary distance to drive.

the serrations or teeth on said wedges into firmly gripping engagement with the shafts. If it should be necessary to remove the coupling, the nuts are first vturned away from ythe washers so as to release the levers, and

said levers swung apart at their outer ends by driving a wedge (not shown) between said ends, whereby the wedges are moved to the unlocking position shown in Figure 3 and the shafts thus released.

The nuts may be .locked to the washers by set screws 35 as shown in Figure 2, said screws helping' to prevent the nuts from worlring loose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toV secure by Letters Patent yof the Unit-ed States is l. In a shaft coupling, the combination v. with shaft-embracing members having ta,-

pered grooves in their inner surfaces, of wedges fitted in said grooves for longitudinal movement therein, levers carried by said members for moving the wedges longitudinally for causing them to grip the shafts to` be connected., and means for actuating Vsaid levers.

2l In a shaft coupling, the combination with shaft-embracingmembers having tapered grooves in their inner surfaces,- of wedges fitted in said grooves for longitudinal movement therein, levers for actuating said wedges, said members having enlarged portions in which said levers are mounted, and means carried by the smaller portions of the members for engaging the ends of the levers to operate the same for bringing the wedges into clamping engagement with the shafts to be connected.

3. In a shaft coupling, the combination with shaft-embracing members having tapered grooves in their inner surfaces, of wedges fitted in said grooves for longitudinal movement therein, levers for actuating said wedges, said members having enlarged portions in which said levers are mounted and cesses in the surface of said members, and

means for actuating said levers.

5. In a shafty coupling, the combination with shaft-embracing members having tapered grooves in their inner surfaces, of wedges fitted in said grooves for longitudinal movement therein, levers carried by said members for moving the wedges, said levers having projections on their outer ends eX- tending'beyond the ends of the portions of the members in which kthey are mounted, said levers being mounted in enlarged portions of the members, and the smaller portions of said `members being threaded, and nuts on said threaded portions of the members for actuating said levers through the projecting ends thereof.

6. In a shaft coupling, the combination bers foractuating said wedges, the outer ends of said levers projecting from the ends of said enlarged portions of the members, washers mounted on the smaller portions of the members for engaging lthe projecting ends of the levers, nuts on the screw threaded portions of the members for forcing the washers into engagement with the levers to movement thereof towards each other will 15 effect the same movement of the oppositely arranged wedges, and movement of said levers in opposite directions will operate said wedges in the reverse direction, and meansI carried by the members of the coupling 'for 2o operating the levers one way, there being a space between each pair of levers for the introduction of a tool for moving them the other way.

In testimony whereof l have signed my 25 name to this specification.

EARL D. TUBES. 

